The Most Dangerous Runways of the World

1. Runway in Matekane, Lesotho

The runway of 416 meters is located on the edges of a mountain canyon on the height of 2.303 meters, so that all tourists visiting Lesotho should know: if the aircraft begins falling straight after the fly, it’s not so dangerous. It’s more dangerous when an unskillful pilot tries to avoid the mountain. “ The rule of the pilot in the mountains is as follows: better to fly downwind than upwind, as the mountains in Lesotho are stronger than pilots” says pilot Tom Clator

2. International Airport of Princess Juliana, St.Martin

Airport of Princess Juliana is one of the biggest transport bend of Caribbean region. The length of the runway here is only 2.180 meters. This is enough for small and middle size aircrafts but it’s not enough for wide-body Boeing 747 and Airbus A340 with tourists who regularly arrive at this airport. The pilots have to approach very low, so that the liner nearly touches the barrier of the runway. The start of the runway is located straightly on the beach behind the barrier of the airport. So the risk is double, who knows what can fall from the aircraft before landing.

3. Reagan National Airport, Washington DC, USA

It’s very strange that such a huge airport appeare among the three leaders of the most dangerous runways of the world. This airport is located between 2 closed areas, that’s why the pilots must be very skillful to avoid strategically important objects-the Pentagon and CIA headquarters. During the fly the aircraft must gain height very fast and sharply turn left to avoid White House. After September 11 the security services follow these rules very strongly and if motion of the liner is doubtful, poor travelers can risk their lives.

4. Airport of Gibraltar

Uptight between the Mediterranean sea and Algeciras bay, the runway of 1.830 meters makes pilots be very sharp and accurate. A highway to Spain intersects the runway. During the flight and landing of the liners the road is exceeded with roadway gates and the police follows that no one of the reckless drivers could jump out before the aircraft.

5. Paro Airport , Bhutan

All tourists arrive at Paro who want to visit Bhutan and walk on the ground of fire dragon, among the holy picks of Himalayas. But not even assaulting any highest picks of the planet, travelers risk their lives before visiting the kingdom. It’s the only airport in the kingdom which is surrounded by the picks of Himalayas, with 4.880 meters up. Only a skillful pilot being aware of local circumstances well enough, can take out the engine among slopes surrounded by high trees, without touching the picks and get onto the most dangerous runway of the world.

6. Airport of Barra, Scotland

The airport is located on a small island of Hebrides. It’s a shallow-water bay, on which aircrafts land regularly. The level of the “landing rigidity” depends on flows and low tide. So the pilots who regularly bring tourists here, must be very attentive as they may get on a puddle.

7. Airport of Toncontin, Tegucigalpa, Honduras

To land successfully at Toncontin pilots must fly above the mountains and turn left on-the-mitre of 45 degree before the aircraft touches the runway. The latter itself is not so long -1.864 meters and is located in cotyloid valley. Airport built on the height of 1.005 meters above see level cannot locate liners bigger than Boeing 757. It is built up with houses, roads, restaurants and fuelling stations. All we remember the tragedy in Brazil in 2007, when the liner rolled out from the runway and run into the terminal station and burnt to the ground with passengers.

8. John Kennedy International Airport, New York

Pilots arriving at these airport must be very attentive not to run into the aircrafts arriving at the two neighbor airports – La Guardia and Newark. Such neighborhood makes pilots follow the upper limit of 4.575 meters and visibility of 8.25 km before coming up to the runway 13L. Each of them remembers the tragedy of 1960 here, when the aircraft United Airlines bumped into the liner TWA at the result of which the two aircrafts collapsed and 127 passengers died.

9. Airport of Madeira, Portugal

The pilots must approach to the airport of Madeira uptight between the mountains and the Atlantic Ocean, strongly clockwise. First pilots turn the aircraft towards the mountains and the last moment sharply turn to the right. The Portuguese have built one of the extraordinary airports of the world, its runway is located not on land, but in the air. The landing way of 2800 meters is built like a huge bridge and is located on 180columns 80 meters high. There is a car park under the landingway and there is no free space.

10. Airport of Hwang Ho, Island of Saba, Dutch Antilles

This airport is famous not only for its shortest runway of 396,5 meters, but also for the measurable weather. Arriving at the airport, pilots have to cope with strong winds and see breeze.